Software JoinPap
In collaboration with the team of computer engineers of the Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell’Informazione “A. Faedo” (ISTI) of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in Pisa, we developed the software JoinPap, aimed at applying Artificial Intelligence to the reconstruction of fragmentary papyrus rolls and providing scholars with an interactive tool specifically designed for this type of material.
Given the extremely fragmentary state of preservation of most texts, whose fragments are often dispersed across different papyrus collections, JoinPap assists scholars in the long and complicated reconstruction process, without, however, claiming to replace human intelligence. Rather, it is designed to facilitate crucial stages of this work, particularly the identification and joining of fragments. Furthermore, the software offers significant benefits in terms of conservation, minimizing the need to handle fragile materials, and sustainability, limiting the need for travel between international collections. Once the fragments have been identified and digitized, much of the subsequent work can be carried out remotely.
The software can be downloaded from joinpap.isti.cnr.it, where you will also find information on its operation and technical specifications.
Last update
03.09.2026